ACT II SCENE I

Coriolanus

ACT II SCENE I. Rome. A public place.
[ Enter MENENIUS with the two Tribunes of the people, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. ]
MENENIUS	The augurer tells me we shall have news to-night.
BRUTUS	Good or bad?
MENENIUS	Not according to the prayer of the people, for they
	love not Marcius.
SICINIUS	Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.	5
MENENIUS	Pray you, who does the wolf love?
SICINIUS	The lamb.
MENENIUS	Ay, to devour him; as the hungry plebeians would the
	noble Marcius.
BRUTUS	He’s a lamb indeed, that baes like a bear.	10
MENENIUS	He’s a bear indeed, that lives like a lamb. You two
	are old men: tell me one thing that I shall ask you.
Both	Well, sir.
MENENIUS	In what enormity is Marcius poor in, that you two
	have not in abundance?	15
BRUTUS	He’s poor in no one fault, but stored with all.
SICINIUS	Especially in pride.
BRUTUS	And topping all others in boasting.
MENENIUS	This is strange now: do you two know how you are
	censured here in the city, I mean of us o’ the	20
	right-hand file? do you?
Both	Why, how are we censured?
MENENIUS	Because you talk of pride now,–will you not be angry?
Both	Well, well, sir, well.
MENENIUS	Why, ’tis no great matter; for a very little thief of	25
	occasion will rob you of a great deal of patience:
	give your dispositions the reins, and be angry at
	your pleasures; at the least if you take it as a
	pleasure to you in being so. You blame Marcius for
	being proud?	30
BRUTUS	We do it not alone, sir.
MENENIUS	I know you can do very little alone; for your helps
	are many, or else your actions would grow wondrous
	single: your abilities are too infant-like for
	doing much alone. You talk of pride: O that you	35
	could turn your eyes toward the napes of your necks,
	and make but an interior survey of your good selves!
	O that you could!
BRUTUS	What then, sir?
MENENIUS	Why, then you should discover a brace of unmeriting,	40
	proud, violent, testy magistrates, alias fools, as
	any in Rome.
SICINIUS	Menenius, you are known well enough too.
MENENIUS	I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that
	loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying	45
	Tiber in’t; said to be something imperfect in
	favouring the first complaint; hasty and tinder-like
	upon too trivial motion; one that converses more
	with the buttock of the night than with the forehead
	of the morning: what I think I utter, and spend my	50
	malice in my breath. Meeting two such wealsmen as
	you are–I cannot call you Lycurguses–if the drink
	you give me touch my palate adversely, I make a
	crooked face at it. I can’t say your worships have
	delivered the matter well, when I find the ass in	55
	compound with the major part of your syllables: and
	though I must be content to bear with those that say
	you are reverend grave men, yet they lie deadly that
	tell you you have good faces. If you see this in
	the map of my microcosm, follows it that I am known	60
	well enough too? what barm can your bisson
	conspectuities glean out of this character, if I be
	known well enough too?
BRUTUS	Come, sir, come, we know you well enough.
MENENIUS	You know neither me, yourselves nor any thing. You	65
	are ambitious for poor knaves’ caps and legs: you
	wear out a good wholesome forenoon in hearing a
	cause between an orange wife and a fosset-seller;
	and then rejourn the controversy of three pence to a
	second day of audience. When you are hearing a	70
	matter between party and party, if you chance to be
	pinched with the colic, you make faces like
	mummers; set up the bloody flag against all
	patience; and, in roaring for a chamber-pot,
	dismiss the controversy bleeding the more entangled	75
	by your hearing: all the peace you make in their
	cause is, calling both the parties knaves. You are
	a pair of strange ones.
BRUTUS	Come, come, you are well understood to be a
	perfecter giber for the table than a necessary	80
	bencher in the Capitol.
MENENIUS	Our very priests must become mockers, if they shall
	encounter such ridiculous subjects as you are. When
	you speak best unto the purpose, it is not worth the
	wagging of your beards; and your beards deserve not	85
	so honourable a grave as to stuff a botcher’s
	cushion, or to be entombed in an ass’s pack-
	saddle. Yet you must be saying, Marcius is proud;
	who in a cheap estimation, is worth predecessors
	since Deucalion, though peradventure some of the	90
	best of ’em were hereditary hangmen. God-den to
	your worships: more of your conversation would
	infect my brain, being the herdsmen of the beastly
	plebeians: I will be bold to take my leave of you.
[BRUTUS and SICINIUS go aside]
[Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and VALERIA]
	How now, my as fair as noble ladies,–and the moon,	95
	were she earthly, no nobler,–whither do you follow
	your eyes so fast?
VOLUMNIA	Honourable Menenius, my boy Marcius approaches; for
	the love of Juno, let’s go.
MENENIUS	Ha! Marcius coming home!	100
VOLUMNIA	Ay, worthy Menenius; and with most prosperous
	approbation.
MENENIUS	Take my cap, Jupiter, and I thank thee. Hoo!
	Marcius coming home!
VIRGILIA	Nay,’tis true.	105
VOLUMNIA	Look, here’s a letter from him: the state hath
	another, his wife another; and, I think, there’s one
	at home for you.
MENENIUS	I will make my very house reel tonight: a letter for
	me!	110
VIRGILIA	Yes, certain, there’s a letter for you; I saw’t.
MENENIUS	A letter for me! it gives me an estate of seven
	years’ health; in which time I will make a lip at
	the physician: the most sovereign prescription in
	Galen is but empiricutic, and, to this preservative,	115
	of no better report than a horse-drench. Is he
	not wounded? he was wont to come home wounded.
VIRGILIA	O, no, no, no.
VOLUMNIA	O, he is wounded; I thank the gods for’t.
MENENIUS	So do I too, if it be not too much: brings a’	120
	victory in his pocket? the wounds become him.
VOLUMNIA	On’s brows: Menenius, he comes the third time home
	with the oaken garland.
MENENIUS	Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly?
VOLUMNIA	Titus Lartius writes, they fought together, but	125
	Aufidius got off.
MENENIUS	And ’twas time for him too, I’ll warrant him that:
	an he had stayed by him, I would not have been so
	fidiused for all the chests in Corioli, and the gold
	that’s in them. Is the senate possessed of this?	130
VOLUMNIA	Good ladies, let’s go. Yes, yes, yes; the senate
	has letters from the general, wherein he gives my
	son the whole name of the war: he hath in this
	action outdone his former deeds doubly
VALERIA	In troth, there’s wondrous things spoke of him.	135
MENENIUS	Wondrous! ay, I warrant you, and not without his
	true purchasing.
VIRGILIA	The gods grant them true!
VOLUMNIA	True! pow, wow.
MENENIUS	True! I’ll be sworn they are true.	140
	Where is he wounded?
[To the Tribunes]
	God save your good worships! Marcius is coming
	home: he has more cause to be proud. Where is he wounded?
VOLUMNIA	I’ the shoulder and i’ the left arm there will be
	large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall	145
	stand for his place. He received in the repulse of
	Tarquin seven hurts i’ the body.
MENENIUS	One i’ the neck, and two i’ the thigh,–there’s
	nine that I know.
VOLUMNIA	He had, before this last expedition, twenty-five	150
	wounds upon him.
MENENIUS	Now it’s twenty-seven: every gash was an enemy’s grave.
[A shout and flourish]
	Hark! the trumpets.
VOLUMNIA	These are the ushers of Marcius: before him he
	carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears:	155
	Death, that dark spirit, in ‘s nervy arm doth lie;
	Which, being advanced, declines, and then men die.
[ A sennet. Trumpets sound. Enter COMINIUS the general, and TITUS LARTIUS; between them, CORIOLANUS, crowned with an oaken garland; with Captains and Soldiers, and a Herald ]
Herald	Know, Rome, that all alone Marcius did fight
	Within Corioli gates: where he hath won,
	With fame, a name to Caius Marcius; these	160
	In honour follows Coriolanus.
	Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus!
[Flourish]
All	Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus!
CORIOLANUS	No more of this; it does offend my heart:
	Pray now, no more.	165
COMINIUS	Look, sir, your mother!
CORIOLANUS	O,
	You have, I know, petition’d all the gods
	For my prosperity!
[Kneels]
VOLUMNIA	Nay, my good soldier, up;	170
	My gentle Marcius, worthy Caius, and
	By deed-achieving honour newly named,–
	What is it?–Coriolanus must I call thee?–
	But O, thy wife!
CORIOLANUS	My gracious silence, hail!	175
	Wouldst thou have laugh’d had I come coffin’d home,
	That weep’st to see me triumph? Ay, my dear,
	Such eyes the widows in Corioli wear,
	And mothers that lack sons.
MENENIUS	Now, the gods crown thee!	180
CORIOLANUS	And live you yet?
[To VALERIA]
	O my sweet lady, pardon.
VOLUMNIA	I know not where to turn: O, welcome home:
	And welcome, general: and ye’re welcome all.
MENENIUS	A hundred thousand welcomes. I could weep	185
	And I could laugh, I am light and heavy. Welcome.
	A curse begin at very root on’s heart,
	That is not glad to see thee! You are three
	That Rome should dote on: yet, by the faith of men,
	We have some old crab-trees here	190
	at home that will not
	Be grafted to your relish. Yet welcome, warriors:
	We call a nettle but a nettle and
	The faults of fools but folly.
COMINIUS	Ever right.	195
CORIOLANUS	Menenius ever, ever.
Herald	Give way there, and go on!
CORIOLANUS	[To VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA] Your hand, and yours:
	Ere in our own house I do shade my head,
	The good patricians must be visited;	200
	From whom I have received not only greetings,
	But with them change of honours.
VOLUMNIA	I have lived
	To see inherited my very wishes
	And the buildings of my fancy: only	205
	There’s one thing wanting, which I doubt not but
	Our Rome will cast upon thee.
CORIOLANUS	Know, good mother,
	I had rather be their servant in my way,
	Than sway with them in theirs.	210
COMINIUS	On, to the Capitol!
[ Flourish. Cornets. Exeunt in state, as before. BRUTUS and SICINIUS come forward ]
BRUTUS	All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights
	Are spectacled to see him: your prattling nurse
	Into a rapture lets her baby cry
	While she chats him: the kitchen malkin pins	215
	Her richest lockram ’bout her reechy neck,
	Clambering the walls to eye him: stalls, bulks, windows,
	Are smother’d up, leads fill’d, and ridges horsed
	With variable complexions, all agreeing
	In earnestness to see him: seld-shown flamens	220
	Do press among the popular throngs and puff
	To win a vulgar station: or veil’d dames
	Commit the war of white and damask in
	Their nicely-gawded cheeks to the wanton spoil
	Of Phoebus’ burning kisses: such a pother	225
	As if that whatsoever god who leads him
	Were slily crept into his human powers
	And gave him graceful posture.
SICINIUS	On the sudden,
	I warrant him consul.	230
BRUTUS	Then our office may,
	During his power, go sleep.
SICINIUS	He cannot temperately transport his honours
	From where he should begin and end, but will
	Lose those he hath won.	235
BRUTUS	In that there’s comfort.
SICINIUS	Doubt not
	The commoners, for whom we stand, but they
	Upon their ancient malice will forget
	With the least cause these his new honours, which	240
	That he will give them make I as little question
	As he is proud to do’t.
BRUTUS	I heard him swear,
	Were he to stand for consul, never would he
	Appear i’ the market-place nor on him put	245
	The napless vesture of humility;
	Nor showing, as the manner is, his wounds
	To the people, beg their stinking breaths.
SICINIUS	‘Tis right.
BRUTUS	It was his word: O, he would miss it rather	250
	Than carry it but by the suit of the gentry to him,
	And the desire of the nobles.
SICINIUS	I wish no better
	Than have him hold that purpose and to put it
	In execution.	255
BRUTUS	‘Tis most like he will.
SICINIUS	It shall be to him then as our good wills,
	A sure destruction.
BRUTUS	So it must fall out
	To him or our authorities. For an end,	260
	We must suggest the people in what hatred
	He still hath held them; that to’s power he would
	Have made them mules, silenced their pleaders and
	Dispropertied their freedoms, holding them,
	In human action and capacity,	265
	Of no more soul nor fitness for the world
	Than camels in the war, who have their provand
	Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows
	For sinking under them.
SICINIUS	This, as you say, suggested	270
	At some time when his soaring insolence
	Shall touch the people–which time shall not want,
	If he be put upon ‘t; and that’s as easy
	As to set dogs on sheep–will be his fire
	To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze	275
	Shall darken him for ever.
[Enter a Messenger]
BRUTUS	What’s the matter?
Messenger	You are sent for to the Capitol. ‘Tis thought
	That Marcius shall be consul:
	I have seen the dumb men throng to see him and	280
	The blind to bear him speak: matrons flung gloves,
	Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,
	Upon him as he pass’d: the nobles bended,
	As to Jove’s statue, and the commons made
	A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts:	285
	I never saw the like.
BRUTUS	Let’s to the Capitol;
	And carry with us ears and eyes for the time,
	But hearts for the event.
SICINIUS	Have with you.	290
[Exeunt]

Next: Coriolanus, Act 2, Scene 2